For Facilitators Only   

In this course, we will explore the three fascinating realms of the cosmos: nearby planets and moons; the stars; and the galaxies (the great island of stars that turn out to be the building blocks of the universe.) Our discussion will be in everyday language, without any math, and will be accompanied by remarkable color images from the latest space probes and the world's largest telescopes, including the latest breathtaking images from the James Webb Space Telescope.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1173012052?fl=ml&fe=ec

This course introduces the scientific study of life, emphasizing real-world applications and the societal, ethical, and legal consequences of biological advances. We will place key principles within the context of issues that affect society. Designed for non-scientists with little or no recent science experience, the course encourages discussion and reflection. Many topics are at the leading edge of discovery, and we will consider the ongoing ethical and legal debates surrounding their application.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1182003911?fl=ml&fe=ec

America has long been fertile ground for new and alternative religions. In this course, we will examine New Religious Movements, often labeled “cults”, within the US context. We will explore why some became accepted, others faded, and some led to controversy or tragedy. We will consider both insider perspectives and outsider views while analyzing their history, beliefs, and practices. Focusing on the 18th and 19th centuries, we will work to better understand these movements and challenge common misconceptions.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1176209243?fl=ml&fe=ec

Journey into the vibrant world of early 20th century art and witness the birth of abstraction. This transformative period reshaped the cultural landscape, from the bold colors of Fauvism, the fractured forms of Cubism, to the dreamlike realms of Surrealism. Each session focuses on the movements’ leading artists including Matisse, Kandinsky, Picasso, Mondrian, Duchamp, and Dali. We will explore their aesthetic goals and the social and cultural currents that influenced them.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1182083839?fl=ml&fe=ec

From its emergence in the early 20th century, country music has resonated with those navigating a rapidly changing world. A key genre of American roots music, it expresses hardship while evoking emotion. This course explores the history of country and American roots music through the stories and artistic developments of key figures including the Carter Family, Bill Monroe, Hank Williams, and Dolly Parton.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1171114023?fl=ml&fe=ec

Mexicans celebrate a remarkable diversity of peoples, music, food, festivals, and historical traditions, expressed through fiestas that bring communities together throughout the year. In this course, we will explore Mexico City as a cultural and historical crossroads shaped by centuries of continuity and change. We will trace the legacies of Indigenous civilizations, the transformations of Spanish colonial rule, the struggles for independence and revolution, and the rise of modern democratic politics, culminating in the election of Mexico’s first woman president.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1159732433?fl=ml&fe=ec

From new industrial materials to innovations in housing, mid-20th-century designers worked to shape an aesthetic that reflected post-World War II ideals. In this course, we will explore the optimism linking design and lifestyle, especially through open living spaces. We will examine the Case Study Program and the work of designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, John Lautner, Eero Saarinen, E. Fay Jones, and Donald Wexler, within the context of rapid social change.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1170683608?fl=ml&fe=ec

In this course, we will explore the history and cultural impact of kit homes in North America, focusing on their peak from 1905 to 1945. We will learn how to identify these mail-order houses and examine their rise, decline, and industrial innovations. We will also consider how kit homes intersected with issues of race and gender. Through examination of the industry and the stories of the people who lived in these homes, we will discover why they remain an important part of the cultural landscape.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1168951343?fl=ml&fe=ec

In this course, we will examine the dramatic circumstances that gave rise to the Beat Generation in the 1940s. Together, we will examine three famous Beat works: Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, and Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs. We will focus on historical events involving Beat writers, important passages of Beat literature, and the literary movement that spawned the 1960s counterculture.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1173329969?fl=ml&fe=ec

This course examines royal succession through acclaimed British films that explore power as a moral and political crisis. We will trace the monarchy’s evolution from personal rule to institutional authority. We will cover the Plantagenet struggles in Becket and The Lion in Winter; the moral costs of kingship and the performance of national leadership through Chimes at Midnight and Henry V; the Tudor rupture through A Man for All Seasons; and the consolidation of legitimacy in Elizabeth.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1172991130?fl=ml&fe=ec

This course continues our journey into how music drives the emotional power of film. We will explore how scores and songs shape story, character, and memorable moments. We will focus on films where songs take center stage, from iconic themes to pop- and rock-driven storytelling. Spanning genres and eras, we will see how composers, songwriters, and performers expanded the language of film music – from Westerns and global cinema to the pop-cultural impact of James Bond and the Beatles.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1175152044?fl=ml&fe=ec

Since the 1890s, when Americans were beginning to develop their own traditions in classical music, composers have recognized the dilemma of creating the American sound. We will explore how classical musicians, and Broadway and Hollywood composers, most of them Jewish, followed parallel paths in creating sounds that reflect these lands and its people. Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, William Grant Steel, Florence Price, Alex North, Elmer Bernstein and others will be the protagonists of this lecture.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1165735544?fl=ml&fe=ec

Harry S. Truman called the presidency “the most peculiar office in the world.” In this course, we will explore how the framers left the office open to interpretation, allowing presidential power to expand over time. We will examine how the presidency has come to dominate the three branches, how presidents gain and use power, and how the rise of the administrative state has altered the balance the framers intended.

Course Preview: https://vimeo.com/1168210195?fl=ml&fe=ec